The present invention relates to a toothbrush and an electric toothbrush for efficiently removing plaque, tartar, and calculus from teeth.
Teeth are an important organ indispensable for the mastication of food and the utterance of speech sounds. In order for the teeth to perform their functions, it is necessary for them to be brushed after meals or before sleeping to prevent tartar and calculus from being deposited on dental necks for protection against periodontites.
For brushing teeth, it has heretofore been customary to use tooth brushes having bristle assemblies planted on an end of a handle. Electric toothbrushes that have been developed in recent years have also been widely used.
Toothbrushes and electric toothbrushes, which are respectively manually and automatically operable, are generally used by turning the bristle assemblies back and forth about the toothbrush axis.
However, the conventional toothbrushes and electric toothbrushes have suffered the following drawbacks:
When the handle of a toothbrush is rocked about its own axis in use, the bristle assemblies are angularly moved alternately upwardly and downwardly. More specifically, when the user of an electric toothbrush holds its grip cylinder and angularly moves the bristle assemblies about the axis while keeping the bristle assemblies against a tooth side or neck, a downward swinging movement of the bristle assemblies peels an end of the gum off the tooth neck, and pushes a deposit of plaque into a recess that is formed between the peeled gum and the tooth neck. Therefore, the brushing operation tends to produce a deposit of tartar and calculus, causing periodontites such as a dentoalveolitis.
Means according to the present invention for solving the above problems are as follows:
According to a first invention, a toothbrush comprises:
a grip handle;
a crown cap mounted on a distal end of the grip handle and having a substantially L-shaped cross section and a predetermined length; and
bristle assemblies planted on inner surfaces of wings of the crown cap and having tip ends inclined at a predetermined angle toward a bent corner of the crown cap.
According to a second invention, an electric toothbrush comprises:
a grip base;
a handle mounted on the grip base for reciprocating angular movement at least about an axis thereof by electric actuator means housed in the grip base;
a crown cap mounted on a distal end of the handle and having a substantially L-shaped cross section. and a predetermined length; and
bristle assemblies planted on inner surfaces of wings of the crown cap and having tip ends inclined at a predetermined angle toward a bent corner of the crown cap.
According to a third invention, in the toothbrush or the electric toothbrush according to the first or second invention, the crown cap has adjusting means for adjusting the projection of one of the bristle assemblies, and mounting means for mounting a distal end of the grip handle or the handle detachably on a longitudinal end of the crown cap.
The electric actuator means is not limited to any structure, but may comprise a known means such as a combination of a motor and a cam mechanism.
The mounting means for detachably mounting the grind handle or the handle on the crown cap is not limited any particular structure. The mounting means may be composed of known means, e.g., engaging holes defined in the opposite ends of the crown cap and an engaging body mounted on the distal end of the grip handle or the handle and engaging in one of the engaging holes, or alternatively, an engaging hole defined longitudinally through the crown cap and an engaging shaft mounted on the distal end of the grip handle or the handle and engaging in the engaging hole.
The bristle assemblies are inclined at an angle of 45xc2x0, for example, to the inner surfaces of the crown cap. However, the angle of inclination is not limited to 45xc2x0. The bristle assemblies are not limited to any particular length, but may have the same length or lengths that vary stepwise.
The adjusting means for adjusting the projection of one of the bristle assemblies is not limited to any particular structure, but may be known means, e.g., a screw for moving a base on which the bristle assembly is planted into and out of the crown cap.
According to a fourth invention, a toothbrush comprises:
a grip handle;
a crown cap mounted on a distal end of the grip handle and including a molar tooth fitting portion and a front tooth fitting portion which have respective inner walls corresponding to respective tooth surfaces; and
bristle assemblies planted on the inner walls of the molar tooth fitting portion and the front tooth fitting portion and inclined at an angle ranging from 30xc2x0 to 60xc2x0 toward tip ends of molar and front teeth that are fitted in the molar tooth fitting portion and the front tooth fitting portion, respectively.
According to a fifth invention, an electric toothbrush comprises:
a grip base;
a handle mounted on the grip base for reciprocating angular movement about an axis thereof or in the direction of a tooth axis, or in the direction normal to the direction of the tooth axis, by electric actuator means housed in the grip base;
a crown cap mounted on a distal end of the handle and including a molar tooth fitting portion and a front tooth fitting portion which have respective inner walls corresponding to respective tooth surfaces; and
bristle assemblies planted on the inner walls of the molar tooth fitting portion and the front tooth fitting portion and inclined at an angle ranging from 30xc2x0 to 60xc2x0 toward tip ends of molar and front teeth that are fitted in the molar tooth fitting portion and the front tooth fitting portion, respectively.
According to a sixth invention, in the toothbrush or the electric toothbrush according the fourth or fifth invention, the crown cap has only a molar tooth fitting portion and a bristle assembly corresponding thereto.
According to a seventh invention, in the toothbrush or the electric toothbrush according the fourth or fifth invention, the crown cap has only a front tooth fitting portion and a bristle assembly corresponding thereto.
The electric actuator means is not limited to any structure, but may comprise a known means such as a combination of a motor and a cam mechanism.
The bristle assemblies should preferably be inclined at an angle of 45xc2x0 to the surfaces of a molar or front teeth that is fitted in the tooth fitting portion. However, the angle of inclination is not limited to 45xc2x0, but may be selected in a range from 30xc2x0 to 60xc2x0. The bristle assemblies are not limited to any particular length, but may have the same length or lengths that vary stepwise.
According to an eighth invention, a toothbrush comprises:
a grip handle; and
a plurality of toothbrush bodies detachably mounted on a distal end of the grip handle;
the toothbrush bodies having bristle assemblies inclined at an angle ranging from 30xc2x0 to 60xc2x0 with respect to sides of teeth toward tip ends of the teeth in use.
According to a ninth invention, a toothbrush comprises:
a grip base;
a vibrator mounted on the grip base for vibration in predetermined directions by electric actuator means housed in the grip base; and
a plurality of toothbrush bodies detachably mounted on the vibrator;
the toothbrush bodies having bristle assemblies inclined at an angle ranging from 30xc2x0 to 60xc2x0 with respect to sides of teeth toward tip ends of the teeth in use.
The electric actuator means is not limited to any structure, but may comprise a known means such as a combination of a motor and a cam mechanism.
The toothbrush bodies should preferably be attached such that the bristle assemblies are inclined at an angle of 45xc2x0 with respect to sides of teeth that are inserted. However, the angle of inclination is not limited to 45xc2x0, but may be selected in a range from 30xc2x0 to 60xc2x0.
The number of toothbrush bodies may generally range from two to three though not limited to any particular value. If two toothbrush bodies are employed, then they are positioned respectively on the corresponding opposite sides of teeth, or one of them is positioned on the occlusal tooth area of the teeth and the other on one of the sides of the teeth. If three toothbrush bodies are employed, then one of them is positioned on the occlusal tooth area of the teeth and the others on the respective sides of the teeth.
If the angle of inclination of the bristle assemblies were less than 30xc2x0 or greater than 60xc2x0, then they would not sufficiently scrape off plaque or the like because the pressure applied by the tip ends of the bristle assemblies to the tooth surfaces would be weak.
The bristle assemblies are not limited to any particular length, but may have the same length or lengths that vary stepwise.
According to tenth through sixteenth inventions, an electric toothbrush 10 comprises a bristle assembly 16 reciprocally angularly movable to swing upwardly along teeth sides while being held against the teeth sides or neighboring regions, reciprocally rocking means 18 for angularly moving the bristle assembly 16, and an actuator 68 coupled to the reciprocally rocking means 18 (The reference numerals used in this sentence are indicated in FIG. 23, and those in sentences given below are indicated in FIG. 4).
The bristle assembly 16 may be mounted in one side of a casing 14 having a substantially inverted L shape, and a temporary positioning member 54 may be mounted on the other side of the casing 14 for temporarily positioning the bristle assembly 16 for engagement with a tooth side.
The temporary positioning member 54 may comprise a resilient member.
The temporary positioning member 54 may comprise bristles.
The temporary positioning member 54 may be adjustable in height.
The bristle assembly 16 may comprise an upper set of bristles 46 and a lower set of bristles 46, the lower set of bristles 46 being longer than the upper set of bristles 46.
The bristle assembly 16 comprises an upper set of bristles 46, a middle set of bristles 46, and a lower set of bristles 46, the bristles being of longer, shorter, and medium lengths successively from the lower set through the middle set to the upper set.
In the first through third inventions, when the toothbrush is used, one of the bristle assemblies is held against the occlusal tooth areas of teeth and the other against the boundaries (tooth necks) between the tooth sides and the gum. If the toothbrush is a manual toothbrush, then the grip handle is manually angularly moved reciprocally about the axis thereof. If the toothbrush is an electric toothbrush, the grip handle is angularly moved reciprocally about the axis thereof by the electric actuator means.
If the toothbrush has the adjusting means for adjusting the projection of one of the bristle assemblies, then the projection of the bristle assembly is adjusted by the adjusting means such that the bristle assembly adjustable by the adjusting means will abut against the occlusal tooth areas of teeth and the other bristle assemblies will abut reliably against the boundaries (the tooth necks) between the tooth sides and the gum.
The toothbrush with the adjusting means has a particular orientation in order to keep the adjustable bristle assembly in abutment against the occlusal. tooth areas of teeth at all times. In this structure, therefore, the crown cap can be attached in a different position. to change the orientation of the toothbrush for brushing all the surfaces of teeth. Specific details will be described later with respect to embodiments given below.
In the fourth through seventh inventions, when the toothbrush is used, a molar tooth is fitted in the molar tooth fitting portion or a front tooth is fitted in the front tooth fitting portion. Each of the bristle assemblies is held in contact with the surface of the tooth at an angle ranging from 30xc2x0 to 60xc2x0. If the toothbrush is a manual toothbrush, then the grip handle is manually angularly moved reciprocally about the axis thereof, or in the direction of the tooth axis, or in the direction normal thereto. If the toothbrush is an electric toothbrush, the grip handle is angularly moved reciprocally about the axis thereof, or in the direction of the tooth axis, or in the direction normal thereto, by the electric actuator means.
In the eighth and ninth inventions, when the toothbrush is used, a tooth is fitted in the space surrounded by the bristle assemblies. The bristle assemblies positioned on tooth sides are held in contact with the tooth sides at an angle ranging from 30xc2x0 to 60xc2x0. If the toothbrush is a manual toothbrush, then the grip handle is manually vibrated about the axis thereof, or in the direction of the tooth axis, or in the direction normal thereto. If the toothbrush is an electric toothbrush, the grip handle is vibrated about the axis thereof, or in the direction of the tooth axis, or in the direction normal thereto, by the electric actuator means.
In the tenth through sixteenth inventions, when the electric toothbrush is used to brush a tooth, the bristle assembly is brought into abutment against a side or neck of the tooth while being held substantially horizontally, and angularly moved reciprocally so as to swing upwardly by the reciprocally rocking means coupled to the actuator.
The bristle assembly may be mounted in one side of the casing of a substantially inverted L shape, and the temporary positioning member may be mounted on the other side of the casing for temporarily positioning the bristle assembly for engagement with the tooth side. The temporary positioning member can be held against the occlusal tooth area of the tooth crown for thereby accurately holding the bristle assembly against the tooth side or the tooth neck for scraping off deposited plaque.
The temporary positioning member may comprise a resilient member or bristles, and may be adjustable in height. This arrangement allows the temporary positioning member to hold the bristle assembly accurately against a tooth surface ranging from the tooth side to the tooth neck without slipping over the occlusal tooth area of the tooth crown.
The bristle assembly may comprise an upper set of bristles and a lower set of bristles, the lower set of bristles being longer than the upper set of bristles. Alternatively, the bristle assembly may comprise an upper set of bristles, a middle set of bristles, and a lower set of bristles, the bristles being of longer, shorter, and medium lengths successively from the lower set through the middle set to the upper set. With this arrangement, the bristles of the bristle assembly can abut against a curved tooth surface along the tooth side and the tooth neck for effectively removing plaque.
In any of the first through sixteenth inventions, since the bristle assemblies, though they are angularly movable reciprocally, are planted so as to be inclined to the tooth surface, the frictional force is stronger upon angular movement toward the tip end of the tooth, and weaker upon angular movement in the opposite direction. Therefore, plaque, tartar, and calculus deposited on the occlusal tooth area, the tooth side, and the tooth neck are gathered toward the center of the tooth fitting portion. For the same reason, the gum is not peeled off the tooth neck, and plaque, tartar, and calculus deposited, on the tooth neck are removed without being pushed between the tooth and the gum.